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Compare Costa Rica (2004) - Australia (2005)

Compare Costa Rica (2004) z Australia (2005)

 Costa Rica (2004)Australia (2005)
 Costa RicaAustralia
Administrative divisions 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Age structure 0-14 years: 29.5% (male 597,332; female 570,008)


15-64 years: 65% (male 1,300,206; female 1,271,010)


65 years and over: 5.5% (male 101,270; female 116,681) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 19.8% (male 2,038,809/female 1,943,563)


15-64 years: 67.2% (male 6,815,600/female 6,695,189)


65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,145,274/female 1,452,002) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry
Airports 149 (2003 est.) 448 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 30


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 18


under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
total: 305


over 3,047 m: 10


2,438 to 3,047 m: 12


1,524 to 2,437 m: 131


914 to 1,523 m: 139


under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 119


914 to 1,523 m: 24


under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)
total: 143


1,524 to 2,437 m: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 112


under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)
Area total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
total: 7,686,850 sq km


land: 7,617,930 sq km


water: 68,920 sq km


note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Area - comparative slightly smaller than West Virginia slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
Background Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread. Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the 1990's, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980's. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.
Birth rate 18.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 12.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.313 billion


expenditures: $2.851 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
revenues: $222.7 billion


expenditures: $221.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital San Jose Canberra
Climate tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Coastline 1,290 km 25,760 km
Constitution 7 November 1949 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica


conventional short form: Costa Rica


local long form: Republica de Costa Rica


local short form: Costa Rica
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia


conventional short form: Australia
Currency Costa Rican colon (CRC) -
Death rate 4.32 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 7.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $5.366 billion (2003 est.) $308.7 billion (3rd quarter, 2004 est.)
Dependent areas - Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas M. BARNES


embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose


mailing address: APO AA 34020


telephone: [506] 220-3939


FAX: [506] 519-2305
chief of mission: William A. STANTON, Charge d'Affaires ad interim


embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600


mailing address: APO AP 96549


telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600


FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970


consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS


chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945


FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa


consulate(s): Austin
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY


chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000


FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unsolved East Timor and Australia continue to meet but disagree over how to delimit a permanent maritime boundary and share unexploited petroleum resources that fall outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; East Timor dispute hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia (see also Ashmore and Cartier Islands dispute); regional states express concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of a 1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime indentification zone; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica (see Antarctica); in 2004 Australia submitted claims to UNCLOS to extend its continental margin from both its mainland and Antarctic claims
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)
Economy - overview Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate in the US - Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate. Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy, robust business and consumer confidence, and rising exports of raw materials and agricultural products are fueling the economy. Australia's emphasis on reforms, low inflation, and growing ties with China are other key factors behind the economy's strength. The impact of drought, weak foreign demand, and strong import demand pushed the trade deficit up from $8 billion in 2002, to $18 billion in 2003, and to $13 billion in 2004. One other concern is the rapid increase in domestic housing prices, which have raised the prospect that interest rates will need to be raised to prevent a speculative bubble.
Electricity - consumption 6.109 billion kWh (2001) 195.6 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 379 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 128 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 6.839 billion kWh (2001) 210.3 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m


highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m
Environment - current issues deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Exchange rates Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 398.663 (2003), 359.817 (2002), 328.871 (2001), 308.187 (2000), 285.685 (1999) Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since 8 May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president


elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February 2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA February 2006)


election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%
chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003)


head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Mark VAILE (since 6 July 2005)


cabinet: Prime Minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the Governor General to serve as government ministers


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general


note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party
Exports NA (2001) 523,400 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
Exports - partners US 14.2%, Guatemala 3%, Nicaragua 2.7% (2003) Japan 18.6%, China 9.2%, US 8.1%, South Korea 7.7%, New Zealand 7.4%, India 4.6%, UK 4.2% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
Flag description five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as the Commonwealth Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars
GDP purchasing power parity - $35.34 billion (2003 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8.5%


industry: 29.4%


services: 62.1% (2003 est.)
agriculture: 3.4%


industry: 28.2%


services: 68.4% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $9,100 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $30,700 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.6% (2003 est.) 3.5% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 00 N, 84 00 W 27 00 S, 133 00 E
Geography - note four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65 world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the invigorating tropical sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most consistent winds in the world
Highways total: 35,892 km


paved: 7,896 km


unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)
total: 811,603 km


paved: 314,090 km (including 18,619 km of expressways)


unpaved: 497,513 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1.1%


highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)
lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)
Illicit drugs transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate
Imports NA (2001) 530,800 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
Imports - partners US 23.2%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3.2% (2003) US 14.8%, China 12.7%, Japan 11.8%, Germany 5.8%, Singapore 4.4%, UK 4.1% (2004)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
Industrial production growth rate 8% (2003 est.) 1.9% (2004 est.)
Industries microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Infant mortality rate total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 11.17 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 9.4% (2003 est.) 2.3% (2004 est.)
International organization participation BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNMISET, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO, ZC
Irrigated land 1,260 sq km (1998 est.) 24,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general)
Labor force 1.758 million (2003) 10.35 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.) agriculture 3.6%, industry 26.4%, services 70% (2004 est.)
Land boundaries total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.88%


other: 89.71% (2001)
arable land: 6.55% (includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated grassland)


permanent crops: 0.04%


other: 93.41% (2001)
Languages Spanish (official), English English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)
Legal system based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as of January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union 3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic National Alliance 1, independent 2
bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of state members are elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all territory members are elected every three years) and the House of Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular preferential voting to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than five representatives)


elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held no later than June 2008); House of Representatives - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be called no later than November 2007)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party (for session beginning on 1 July 2005) - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 39, Australian Labor Party 28, Democrats 4, Australian Greens 4, Family First Party 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 87, Australian Labor Party 60, independents 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.63 years


male: 74.07 years


female: 79.33 years (2004 est.)
total population: 80.39 years


male: 77.52 years


female: 83.4 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96%


male: 95.9%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 100%


male: 100%


female: 100% (1980 est.)
Location Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT


by type: passenger 1


registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,531,461 GRT/1,999,409 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 7, chemical tanker 3, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 5


foreign-owned: 16 (France 1, Germany 3, Japan 1, Philippines 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 2, United States 7)


registered in other countries: 35 (2005)
Military branches no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command
Military expenditures - dollar figure $64 million (2003) $16.65 billion (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.4% (2003) 2.7% (2004)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,101,887 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 736,007 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 41,709 (2004 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Nationality noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
noun: Australian(s)


adjective: Australian
Natural hazards occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires
Natural resources hydropower bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Net migration rate 0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 3.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines refined products 242 km (2004) condensate/gas 492 km; gas 28,680 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 4,773 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora]; Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan Jose VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic Union [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla] Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Labor Party [Kim BEAZLEY]; Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [Mark VAILE]; One Nation Party [Len HARRIS]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]
Political pressure groups and leaders Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert Brown] -
Population 3,956,507 (July 2004 est.) 20,090,437 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line 20.6% (2002 est.) NA
Population growth rate 1.52% (2004 est.) 0.87% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney
Radio broadcast stations AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002) AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2003)
total: 54,439 km (3859 km electrified)


broad gauge: 5,434 km 1.600-m gauge


standard gauge: 34,110 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 14,895 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified)


dual gauge: 213 km dual gauge (2004)
Religions Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service


domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available


international: country code - 506; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service


domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones


international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)
Telephones - main lines in use 1.132 million (2002) 10.815 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 528,047 (2002) 14.347 million (2003)
Television broadcast stations 20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002) 104 (1997)
Terrain coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Total fertility rate 2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.76 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 6.7% (2003 est.) 5.1% (December 2004 est.)
Waterways 730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004) 2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2004)
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